Dem
51
GOP
49
Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) was first elected in 2018, and so is now in the middle of her third term in the House. It will also be her last term, as she announced yesterday that she will not run for reelection.
In the statement announcing her decision, Lesko said her primary motivation for retiring is "to spend more time with my husband, my 94-year-old mother, my three children, and my five grandchildren." That said, if you doubt it is a coincidence that the Representative got to this point at this particular moment, you are right to think that way. She also explained: "Right now, Washington, D.C. is broken; it is hard to get anything done. Please know that I will continue my work to improve Congress and to help my constituents and the American people. We must all work toward that end." She is, incidentally, an outspoken Trumper and one of the members who supported the overturning of the 2020 election, so she may not have the most credibility when it comes to fixing what is broken in Washington or working together with everyone.
Consistent with Lesko's Trumpiness, her district, AZ-08, is quite red at R+10. She only won by 4 points in her first election, which was a special election prompted by the resignation of Trent Franks in the midst of a sexual harassment scandal. She won election in her own right in 2018, and again in 2020, in a walk both times, and she was unopposed in 2022. So, even though the seat will be open, it is going to be a Republican hold barring something very strange. Super Trumpy former AG candidate Abe Hamadeh (R) has already declared, while super Trumpy former Senate candidate Blake Masters (R) may jump in as well. So, it could be quite the show. (Z)